Joy to the World
by RoboTitaness
Summary: Rhodey couldn't just let Tony stay in MIT over Christmas Break. He just couldn't. The only logical thing to do? Take him home with him! Parts 4 and 7 of 25 Days of Christmas.
1. Part 1 (Num 4)

**December 4th and another story. In the Avengers fandom, again - this time with uni Tony being taken home by Rhodey. Enjoy the bromance! This is part 1. There will be a part 2 later this month.**

 **Title:** Joy to the World (Part 1)  
 **Author:** Fr0st6yte (RoboTitaness)  
 **Fandom:** Avengers  
 **Characters:** Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes  
 **Genre:** Family, Friendship  
 **Summary:** Rhodey couldn't just let Tony stay in MIT over Christmas Break. He just couldn't. The only logical thing to do? Take him home with him!

* * *

"Rhodey, this really isn't the best idea."

"Shut up, Tony," James Rhodes answered absently, straining his neck to catch a glimpse of his parents.

"Really, I can just get a ticket to take me back to Boston. It really isn't -"

"There they are!" James shouted, ignoring his younger friend's squeak as he grabbed his arm and pulled him towards his parents.

"Rhodey! Rhodey bear! Rhodes! James!" Tony Stark finally shouted, and the last caught James' attention enough that he stopped and turned around to look at the shorter boy. The brunet looked surprised at the sudden halt but he quickly looked at James beseechingly. "I really don't think I should go with you."

"We're already in Philly!"

"And a ticket back won't be too bad."

"Why don't you want to come?"

"It's not that I don't want to come. Your parents will probably just not appreciated me coming, I mean. It is Christmas and I'm not exactly family."

"I already asked them, and they said it was fine."

"And what if Jarvis decides to visit after all, and I'm not there?"

"You've already told Jarvis and Ana that you're coming with me." Tony fell silent and James frowned trying to understand his friend. A sudden thought came to him and he bit his lip. "I know it's not going to be as lavish of a Christmas as you're used to but -"

"It's not that!" Tony yelped, looking pained that James thought that. James relaxed slightly, believing Tony's response that it really wasn't that. The thought hadn't occurred to James before that and he was glad that it didn't matter.

"Then what is it?" Tony shifted on his feet, now longer looking James in the eyes. "Tones?"

"Never mind."

"Tony," James said firmly.

"What if they don't like me?" Tony finally burst out, then looked as though he regretted saying it.

"Don't like you?" James repeated. "That's really what you're worried about?" As soon as the words were out, though, he wanted to bite them back. Tony's face flushed and his eyes flashed with both anger and humility.

"Forget it," he muttered, dragging his suitcase in the direction they had been walking.

"No, wait, Tones! I didn't mean it that way." James knew his friend didn't have the best home life and he _still_ managed to mess up. "It's just that my ma likes everyone. There won't be a problem, I promise you." Tony looked at him skeptically, but didn't argue further. Instead, James led the way again, to where both his ma and pop were waiting with his little sister. Tammy was standing on the railing, black hair whipping as she turned her head side to side, looking for him. As soon as she caught sight of him, though, she squealed and ducked through. Setting his bag down, James bent down and picked her up, spinning in a circle.

"Miss me, did you?" he teased. She was chortling and Tony looked on in amusement.

"Who's he?" she asked, leaning back in James' arms to look at Tony.

"That's Tony," James answered. "My friend."

"My name is Tammy," she told Tony importantly. She stuck her hand out, and James laughed slightly.

Tony looked at her and nodded, face comically grave. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Tammy," he said, shaking her hand. A smile threatened to break through his face but he didn't let it until Tammy giggled.

"Alright, stop seducing my sister, Mr. Hot-Shot," James drawled, picking his bag and walking the rest of the way out of the airport.

"Jamie!" Suddenly, James found himself staring right into a black overcoat with arms tight around him. "It's been months and you barely call and you look so thin - you cannot have been eatin' enough young man -"

"Ma," James groaned, just knowing Tony was laughing at him. "Let go."

"Selena, darlin', I think the boy needs air." James' dad came to his rescue, laughing at his son's predicament. "Hello, James." He gave him a quick squeeze, before turning to Tony. "You must be Tony."

"Ye-yes sir," Tony stammered, and James was equal parts amused and shocked to see the normally suave boy looking uncomfortable.

"You are so small!" James' ma started up again, and James groaned again. "You need to eat more, boy. Jamie, why did you not tell me that the two of you needed food? I would have sent you with some when you came for Thanksgiving."

"Ma, stop calling me Jamie," he muttered, but she wasn't listening. Instead, she was doting over Tony, who looked alarmed at the attention and glanced over to James for help. The older boy only shrugged, smirking slightly.

"Welcome to the family."

* * *

 **Notes: Cross posted on AO3 (Fr0st6yte)**  
 **Find me on Tumblr: Fr0st6yte**


	2. Part 2 (Num 7)

**Yet another story today. Here's the part two that everyone wanted!**  
 **Title:** Joy to the World (Part 2)  
 **Author:** Fr0st6yte (RoboTitaness)  
 **Fandom:** Avengers  
 **Characters:** Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes  
 **Genre:** Family, Friendship  
 **Summary:** Rhodey was on a mission, one he had to complete on the pain of death. And that was to take Tony home for Christmas.

* * *

"And who, exactly, gave you permission to spend Christmas all by yourself?"

"Didn't know I needed permission for that," Tony twirled his chair around. "Honeybee!"

"Tones," Rhodey greeted, eyeing the workshop warily. He walked forward, yet again reveling in Tony's genius prosthetics. "No Hope or Peter?"

"Hope went to go see Hank," Tony waved the question away. "And Peter's with May. More importantly, however, where is the beautiful Ms. Danvers? Or is it soon-to-be Mrs. Rhodes?" He wagged his eyebrows. Rhodey just stopped himself from reaching into his pocket to finger his ring and settled for glaring at his friend. "Come on Platypus! I helped buy the ring; put it to good use!"

"I came on an important mission," Rhodey said, ignoring the engineer's dramatic sigh. "Ma wants you over." Instantly, Tony straightened, yet Rhodey noticed an odd look pass through his face. Inwardly, he sighed, gearing up for Tony's arguments.

"Can't, sourpuss. Got to get these upgrades to Coulson and -"

"She told me under no uncertain terms that I am to tie you up, put you in a sack, and use War Machine to fly you over to her house, if you were to disagree."

"What Mama Rhodes wants, Mama Rhodes gets?"

"Always," Rhodey agreed. Tony sent him a shaky smile, and he sighed. "Tony, she's not going to care about the whole Accords thing."

"I know that."

"And she won't ask about Rogers -"

"It's not -"

"Or Ross -"

"Again, you -"

"Or Pepper." This time Tony scowled back, but Rhodey continued, undeterred. "Come on, Tony. Out with it."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tony replied stiffly. He turned back to his screens and Rhodey rolled his eyes, before making a motion with his hands. Instantly, the screens went blank and Tony tilted his head up. "Et tu Friday?"

"Tony," Rhodey said firmly. Tony didn't turn around. "I am not telling Ma that you missed her Christmas dinner because you're sulking."

"I'm not sulking," Tony sulked.

"Uh huh," Rhodey muttered, throwing a pair of wire strippers at him while he sat down. "She's making seven-cheese lasagna," he cajoled. Tony still didn't turn around. "Stark, you have better got a good reason as to why I'm going to have to carry you there."

"She's not going to want me there," Tony muttered.

"That excuse went old during college."

"It's the truth," Tony insisted.

"Gotta think of something new, man."

"Just go, James." Rhodey instantly stiffened, eyes set on his friend's hunched figure. His tired voice continued, "You're going to be late otherwise."

"Tony, what the hell is the matter with you?"

"Nothing."

"Screw that. What on Earth has got you convinced Ma doesn't want you home for Christmas?" Tony didn't answer. Rhodey sighed angrily and got up, marching over and spinning his friend's chair back around. "Tony."

Tony was playing with the wire strippers, not meeting his eyes. Rhodey frowned, trying to think of what was upsetting his friend. He started listing everything that had happened during the last year.

"Not Rogers, Pepper, or Ross."

"Rhodey," Tony protested.

"Not the Accords."

"Rhodey."

"She never liked most of the other Avengers, so nothing there."

"Rhodes."

"Haven't been drinking much since the palladium incident."

"James."

"You didn't even forget her birthday last year!" Rhodey rubbed his head. "What on Earth are you worried about?"

"I'm not worried."

"You think she won't want you over? Why would you ever think that?"

It was only watching his friend carefully that Rhodey finally realized the issue. A split second after he finished the statement, Tony's eyes flickered over and down, and with a sinking feeling, Rhodey realized the issue.

"You aren't - you can't be - Tony, come on man." Tony turned away again, and Rhodey closed his eyes. The injury. Of course, it was that. It always came back to that now a days didn't it? Everything else was solved. Except this. "No one blames you for this. At least, no one but yourself."

"They should."

"No, they shouldn't. No more than they can blame Rogers for it. No more than Bruce is to blame for Johannesburg or you are for Ultron." At that Tony looked up and opened his mouth to protest, but Rhodey shook his head. "We already went through this - that Witch put images in your head. Neither I nor Ma blame you for that either - I'm pretty sure we solved that during Christmas four years ago.

"As for my legs… I told you that any mission could be my last. I won't deny that it hurts - whenever I remember that I can never walk without prosthetics, I want to punch something. But. It. Isn't. On. You. If anything, it's my fault for not watching out."

"No it's not -"

"And," Rhodey continued over Tony's voice. "Ma knows this. Ma knows exactly what happened and places not a single ounce of blame on you."

"Again, she should!"

"Tony!" Rhodey said, exasperated. "Yes, we all could have dealt with the Accords better, but the fight and my injury aren't your fault. Never have been, and never will be. When you came back from Siberia, guess who was calling Pepper nonstop? She knew about the injury then too, but that didn't stop her from calling the hospital and demanding your recovery."

At this point, Tony had a small smile on his face and Rhodey felt relieved, knowing he was getting across to his friend.

"Ever since our first Christmas at MIT, you're her second son and my sister still adores you more than she does me. Did I mention Tamisha has been hounding me? She'll be at the dinner too. You're part of the family, Tony. Now, come on, man. We need to go to get there in time. She'll murder the both of us if we're late." Rhodey grabbed Tony's arm and pulled him up, happy this he didn't resist.

"Let's go home."

* * *

 **Cross posted on AO3 (Fr0st6yte)**

 **Find me on Tumblr: Fr0st6yte**


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